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LAST UPDATE | 13 Jun 2024
ALL FIVE MEP seats have been filled in Ireland South after 19 counts at the Nemo Rangers GAA Club in Co Cork.
The following candidates have been elected:
Seán Kelly – Fine Gael
Billy Kelleher – Fianna Fáil
Michael McNamara – Independent
Cynthia Ní Murchú – Fianna Fáil
Kathleen Funchion – Sinn Féin
Independents4Change’s Mick Wallace tonight became the fifth MEP not to be re-elected to the European Parliament after he did not receive enough transfers and was eliminated.
That’s that. Complete. Funchion, McNamara and Ní Murchú elected. @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/tIrUk4UQSI
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) June 13, 2024
As no remaining candidate had reached the quota, and Wallace was eliminated, the remaining three candidate were elected.
It was a dramatic end to the five day count in Ireland South.
The first to talk was Cynthia Ní Murchú, who finished fourth in the five seater, was the first to talk to the media on her election. The Fianna Fáil candidate will celebrate her 58th birthday tomorrow.
“I am truly honoured, I am humbled by the voters of Ireland South who put their confidence in me. I won’t let them down.
“I am really looking forward to serving the voters of Ireland South and I a going to relish this opportunity,” she said.
Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin paid tribute to the energy of the candidates.
“It is about hard work and Cynthia really energised the party and people on the ground. I was in shopping centres with her and she left no voters behind and they didn’t have a choice in the matter.
“That was the kind of commitment that mattered – we felt it, I was in Waterford towards the latter end of the campaign and I felt it coming in,” he said.
Kathleen Funchion of Sinn Féin also succeeded in her campaign and spoke of her joy at her election.
“I am delighted, I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who came out and voted for us.
“I am very proud to represent Ireland South and with my colleague Lynn Boylan [in Dublin]. We are going to work well together hard for all the people of Ireland. It is really important to have strong voices at European level and very much look forward to that,” she said.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she is “full of joy” for Funchion and will be an “incredible advocate” for Ireland.
“This is a real huge achievement, for Kathleen and her running mate Paul Gavan and for the team here and for every single person who voted for her and David Cullinane as well.
“We now have two MEPs returning for Sinn Féin and that’s a great achievement and an improvement on the position. Of course we have 102 councillors elected – it is not the runaway success that perhaps some might have expected but it represents progress,” she said.
Michael McNamara an Independent and a current TD said that he was feeling tired and was looking forward to spending time with his young family before making his way to Europe.
“I am just tired, but I am emotional too. It is a tough campaign, it is a huge constituency, including Cork the biggest county and most populace.
“It is great to win, I have been on the other side of elections in the past and sometimes the lines are thin.
“I have lots of memories of travelling across the constituency – I was struck by the history. I was going to Carlow one night and my son didn’t want me to leave and I told him and he started crying.
“I played him the Planxty song Follow me up to Carlow so he told his Grandfather that his daddy is gone to Carlow. I woke up one morning on the Knockmealdown Mountains near where Liam Lynch breathed his last.
“You just realise the history, the sacrifice that was made and how fragile democracy can be sometimes – the last few decades have been unprecedented stability and peace and it can’t be taken for granted,” he said.
The last three seats were fought out by four candidates – Mick Wallace lost out. The well known politician said that it was “too early” to discuss standing for the Dáil.
He told The Journal: “I am very grateful to the people of Ireland South who gave me the opportunity. I am unsuccessful this time but I am so grateful this time to all the people who voted for me.”
When asked will he stand again he added: “That is a big question, we all need time to think about these things so this isn’t the night to be thinking of that.”
Earlier, Kelleher managed to surpass the 114,761-vote quota after Fine Gael’s John Mullins was eliminated, with over 12,000 of his votes going to the Fianna Fáil incumbent.
Kelleher was the second incumbent MEP to be returned to the European Parliament from the constituency, after Fine Gael’s Seán Kelly was re-elected after the first count on Monday.
Billy Kelleher has been reelected as an MEP in Ireland South #EP2024
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) June 13, 2024
📽️ @NiallJournal_ie pic.twitter.com/Q0RhHepLG9
On his election Kelleher, surrounded by his family and his Fianna Fáil colleagues, including Tánaiste Micheál Martin, said it was a “huge honour” to be elected.
“It is my second term representing the people of Ireland South and I am deeply humbled and honoured,” he said.
Kelleher said he was now hopeful that his running mate, Ní Murchú, will be elected later tonight.
“That would be a huge achievement for the party. It would show that Ireland is pro-European, that Europe matters and with strong voices and it will show what Fianna Fáil stands for and we want to take that to Europe.
“It is emotional, to be adjudicated by your peers, and found to be in good stead by them is a huge honour and it is a crowning achievement to be vindicated as their representative,” he added.
This evening, sitting Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan lost her seat on the sixth count after failing to pick up enough transfers from Kelleher to overtake Mick Wallace.
In a statement afterwards, O’Sullivan said she was proud of her work as an MEP and grateful to have represented the constituency.
“While losing my seat is disappointing on a personal level, it is just the latest chapter in a long story,” she added.
“For over 40 years I have been standing up for what I believe in, and fighting for what is right.”
Keep up to date with the latest results on The Journal’s count centre, here.
Contains reporting from Stephen McDermott.
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This work is co-funded by Journal Media and a grant programme from the European Parliament. Any opinions or conclusions expressed in this work are the author’s own. The European Parliament has no involvement in nor responsibility for the editorial content published by the project. For more information, see here.
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Many people could have their summer holidays ruined now. I hope not.
@Sean Money: A summer holiday is not an entitlement, you’d swear it was these days the way folks go on about them. I’ve had my share don’t get me wrong from 5* down. Waste of money mostly and tremendously polluting action to take that takes money out of our economy. I refuse to fly now and regret my additions to the environmental catastrophe that pollution brings about. The benefit is not worth the cost!
@Chutes: I’d say you’re great craic at the Christmas party.
@Chutes: No it isn’t and entitlement, most people work hard to save up and go on them. Especially hard on the back of the cost of living and being taxed as if there wasn’t just 20% inflation over a few years.
@Billy Hayes: Would depend on the crowd.
@Chutes: people save all year for a few nice days in the sun. If the pilots ruin this chasing the money shame on them.
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: That doesn’t really address the point other than to question the worth of a holiday even more.
@Sean Money: People save all year for a ruined holiday, that’s nothing more than a bad investment. Life is tough!
@Chutes: people are entitled to use the flights they paid for and that AL marketed.
@Sean Money: here we go. Blaming the pilots. How about the company ingesting massive profits and not paying their workers fairly? Aer Lingus could stop any strike tomorrow. Solidarity with the pilots and I say that as someone whose holiday could be affected
@Sean Money: I’d argue shame on their management. There’s probably been alot of negotiations leading up to this point. These lads took a huge hit for the company during COVID. Things are booming again, huge profits, future growth and management are offering less than 10%…. I’ve been laughing at the lines they’re coming out with on the news interviews to try to push blame onto the pilots and try to get the public on their side. All IR games. Aerlingus management have got themselves to this point. Best of luck to the pilots!
@Sandra Molloy: That’s a reasonable argument ignoring the larger point but yes in theory then they should side with the pilots imo. Peoples pay needs to reflect the cost of living, companies and corporations make massive shareholder profits for the rich which goes largely untaxed at a fair rate convincing people like you that they work hard and therefor deserve a break. Fk the environment right, because ur worth it!
@Chutes: It is an entitlement. But an earned one. And what is wrong with that? Nothing. A simple summer holiday, lovely stuff. Maybe you should try a ‘holiday’ in North Korea. Re: the plane; it’s gonna take off anyways.
@Chutes: Yep… You do your bit for the environment and stay home while we fly away for two or more weeks living it up. The environment and the plane taking off are going to happen regardless. Ireland’s naive contribution affects not a jot the planets environment.
@Keth Tgi: Ah yes, the old ‘why bother’ chestnut. In my time I have ‘lived it up’ more than the average bear, it no longer excites. Some get sense as they age, some do not.
@Keth Tgi: “It is an entitlement. But an earned one.” Indeed, always earned on someone else’s back!
@Chutes: Trolling hard today Chutes!!! What’s the story with your avatar pic?!?! Were you/are you a pilot?
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: Nah, aircraft mechanic, flight simulator nerd.
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: These are my genuinely held beliefs. I’m not into bllsht in general, I don’t see it as constructive. I tend to break arguments down to their most basic truths as I see them. I ignore the rest. There’s a time and a place, it’s just not here imo.
@Chutes: “There’s a time and a place”?!?!…. Coming in all high and mighty saying holidays are not an entitlement when people are facing their hard earned holidays being cancelled isn’t really the time or the place, just so you can go on with an eco warrior stance….. You’re better than us holiday goers chutes, you care more about the planet, your views are gospel sage one, good man….. We get it….. You’re more into bllsht than you think!
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: That’s the nature of disagreement, I judge your commentary, you judge mine.
Your judgement is flawed imo, mine flawed in yours.
What is the opposite of the ‘eco-warrior’ you adjudge me to be?
@M To The B: not paying their workers fairly, are you on drugs,check out how much the pilots earn and get back to me
@Chutes: please stay where you are like a good lad will ya ! You’d ruin anyone’s holiday God forbid if they were crammed in beside ya on a flight
@John McG: Enjoy ur hols!
Sounds like Air Lingus are trying to find a technicality to delay a strike rather than just sitting down and discussing in the hope of averting it altogether. I can’t see this move going down well with the union. I suspect once the ballot results are in that notice will be served nearly immediately. If it’s true that they haven’t had any pay increase in 5 years then I don’t think their ask is unreasonable given that most public sector employees have seen their wages rise by over 20% in the last 5 years albeit in smaller doses, but it’s the same result.
@Unridden Ana: yeah, at 98% for strike it’s a just delay tactic for the inevitable. I find it funny on the news their management stating that conducting a ballot during talks isn’t welcome….. Sure they’ve gotten to the point of balloting after being at the Labour courts…. I’d assume there has been plenty of talks to date on it going back many months if not years….. All a media game now. Fair play to the pilots!
@Unridden Ana: plenty of low to middle income earners both public and private sectors have NOT got 20% over 5yrs
AL pilots are just greedy feckers, most already earn €150k
@Brian Guilfoyle: Incorrect, Public sector have gotten a lot of increases since 2019, close to 20 percent under the current agreements! I’d say many private sector have too, you just don’t hear about it….. I wouldn’t fancy landing a 70 tonne aircraft in crap Irish weather and being responsible for hundreds of lives daily. High wages for a big job at the airport….. Nothing wrong with them trying to protect their wages during massive inflation while their company is very profitable and expanding. Greedy Aerlingus management in my view! (I’m not a pilot)
@Brian Guilfoyle: not correct. Look up CSO figures. The average wage increase since 2019 across all employees in Ireland is 24%. Aer lingus have given their pilots 0% in that timeframe. So what if they are already well paid? Does that mean they shouldn’t get the same wage increases as the average worker?
@Unridden Ana: As you yourself note, average doesn’t mean that everyone gets a raise. I wouldn’t go as far as to argue that everyone deserves a raise, but looking at increasing numbers of homeless *families*, there is something seriously wrong with the distribution of income and those raises.
I do also wonder if CSO statistics (you didn’t mention which report you’re quoting) include gig economy and agency workers which, among other things, can’t even take an industrial action lest they’d have their contracts summarily and unfortunately legally terminated.
Now, I don’t agree with Brian’s assertion of pilots being greedy for sake of asking for a raise on account of earning more than your local unemployed-but-working Deliveroo driver. I’d rather see Deliveroo drivers employed and with an effective right of taking industrial action than blaming those who have and are taking advantage of the right to withdraw work.
Yeah … I’m a leftie liberal who believes that withdrawing or threatening to withdraw work to bargain for better conditions is a right of every employee. Be it payed 10k or 100k. Now, if they’re stupid enough to sink the company they work for and ending up unemployed as a result, that’s on them. But commonly, if they’re treated as equal partners at the bargaining table, strikes rarely happen. It’s just that some owners of the means of production don’t seem to appreciate that those means also need staff. Marx wrote about it and last time I checked, pizzas and burgers aren’t being delivered by drones and planes are not flying themselves.
In all the media coverage on the radio, TV and online regarding this issue of pilots pay at Aer Lingus – I haven’t seen one piece of decent journalism as to how the current pilots pay at Aer Lingus compares to how pilots with other airlines like Ryanair or other European Airlines.
@Chaotic State: Their main competitors to the US out of Dublin: Delta, American and United are on about double what Aer Lingus are on.
@Chaotic State: I totally agree. Aer Lingus pilots are compairing themselves with the earnings of pilots in other European airlines, such as Air France, BA etc 5 years ago BA, (another AIG group member) gave it’s pilots a 24% payrise. They were already paid more than the Aer Lingus pilots before their pay rise. Now the AL pilots are paid substantialy less than their contemporaries in the other AIG airlines.
Most of the reporting has been focused on the very top earners within the pilot body, instead of the 85% of pilots who are not being paid competitively.
Aer Lingus often has to cancel flights it has sold because it doesn’t have enough pilots to operate them, and then complains that pilots don’t volunteer to work on their days off!
Increased profits, dividends and management “compensation” but increased pay for pilots only if they agree to “productivity” changes.
Then they look for 15 days notice to avoid having to pay compensation to passengers.
A right shower.
No better way to get bumped up a few incriment scales and more allowances than to threaten to down tools just before the busiest time of the year. Fair play to them. Can’t fly planes without them. Wish I had power like that in my job. Some of my Coworkers are too lazy to scratch themselves.
Aer Lingus changed their livery to an all white fuselage with green tail & logo to match their sister airlines Vueling, Iberia & Level. All 4 airlines have the same livery with different coloured tail sections. Switching an aircraft from 1 livery to another is cheaper & faster now if the need arises so one company could ‘lease’ aircraft from one to another if needed. Aer Lingus are also requesting 15 days notice instead of the agreed 7 if a vote in favour of a stike goes ahead. You can be sure Aer Lingus have a card up their sleeve – this could go wrong for the pilots. But I’m just spitballing – I could be wrong too.
@Billy Hayes: Around 100 daily departures from Dublin will be a tough one for their management to get around. Heard it’s all to do with offering refund as opposed to compensation to passengers with 2 weeks notice.
Did the pilots agree to terms of employment when accepting their jobs?
@Sun Rise: A bit like how the government agreed that USC was only temporary but then also changed their minds when it suited. That’s the way things go.
have your say